


Rise & Faith

by Akifall



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Animal Traits, Crossover, Depression, Eventual Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Force-Feeding, M/M, Slavery, Suicide Attempt, Torture, demi human
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-02
Updated: 2020-01-10
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:47:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22089640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akifall/pseuds/Akifall
Summary: Based in the same world as "The Rising Of The Shield Hero"Goro Akechi is a demi-human who's life has been nothing but misery. In a town where slavery is the norm- Goro is sold off.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 7
Kudos: 66





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So if you've never seen "The Rising Of The Shield Hero" then I strongly recommend it to you.  
> But you don't need to really watch it to understand this. 
> 
> I will list all the things in the endnotes to certain things.

When Goro was picked he didn't fight like so many of the other rabbit children did.  
He didn't make a sound as they loaded him into the back of the cart, not even when the fox children pointed and laughed at him.  
Goro just wordlessly watched the world he knew drift behind him, rain drenching his shoulders through the tattered cloth above him and mud splattering against his body as the cart dipped in and out of road holes.

He knew that he'd never see the sun again, he knew that he'd be returning to that dreadful town as pelts and meat- a nice throw or coat- it was the destiny of all rabbit children that came from that town.  
The other rabbits had spoken of the four heroes coming to save them, but he'd seen the Spear Hero and his companions use the pelts and coats for the cold weather during their time there.

Goro was lucky that his fur wasn't particularly special, most rabbit children had pretty colors, whites and deep blues that darkened with age. Goro's fur, on the other hand, was brown and matted with mud- a color that wasn't very appealing.  
It was the weather that finally betrayed him. The cold nip in the air hinted of freezing temperatures- and so it mattered not what the pelt he produced would look like. The town, after all, was run by foxes and any rabbit was just prey to them. 

And so Goro accepted death just like he accepted captivity.  
-  
At some point, he dozed off wrapped in a blanket of cold. It was only when the cart spilled over that Goro woke up, his hands that had been bolted to the floor now dangled painfully above him and he was seeing the world upside down.  
He could see the cage-door in front of him had forcefully opened on impact, the flickers of stars held out to him from the distance.  
There were noises, the distant sound of leather being cut and the sound of retreating Filolial rippling away.  
"Yusuke, are you sure this is the right one it's pretty small?" A female asked. A pair of black leather shoes appeared before the open cart and then a person dipped their head down and reached inside.  
"Oh, you poor thing." A different girl gasped and someone was touching his shoulders.  
He could feel the chains above him being yanked at and before he could protest- two hands came out and caught him before he could fall on his head.  
"Idiot!" Someone hissed before Goro was lifted out of the cart completely.  
He was suddenly pulled against his savior's arms protectively, his face buried in the warmth of someone's chest and the smell that came from this person soothed him.  
-  
When Goro woke again he was in a bed.

The scent of vegetables and coffee-soaked the room, clinging to everything around him. It was comforting, to say the least. 

There was a teen knitting beside him, and with a quick glance, he noticed that she was a caramel-colored rabbit.  
Except unlike the rabbit children, she had aged. Bunny-hybrids didn't age unless they felt safe and loved and Goro felt childish envying her slightly.

The other hybrid turned, her ears twitching and a warm smile on her face.

"Oh! Your awake!" She gasped, she brought her hands together, her ears lifting with joy.

It was unusual for Goro to see another Rabbit-Hybrid look so happy- he could only recall a small time before his capture when he'd seen such a sight. 

He'd been very young- 7 or so. Life with his mother held little in the way of luxury, but he lived for the days where he could make her smile or laugh despite it being a rarity. For Goro it was enough, for him- she was his world.

And then one day he came home to the scent of fevered lust and fear. He found the door forced open, and his mother in a nest of torn clothing and blood. She clung to him that night, muttering words he couldn't understand, he wishes he could have found the right words to say- he'd do anything to go back and find the right combination to stop her from...

The caramel bunny was reaching forward with an embroidered cloth, her eyes filled with sadness. Goro hated the pity and instead, he ignored her kindness and blinked through the tears that were rolling down his cheeks. She sighed and then left the cloth by his side.

"I'm sorry. You must have been through so much. This must be terribly overwhelming." She said. Her hands clenched her blouse, her teeth chewing her bottom lip thoughtfully before she glanced at him with determination. 

"I promise, I promise that from now on your life will be a lot better" 

Goro doubted that very much.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for forced feeding (kinda?) and torture  
> Sorry fluffy bits will come later

Goro was right- this was worse than death.

Haru, the caramel-colored bunny from before, had tried everything she could to get him to converse with her but Goro simply blanked her out.

She was not of his world after all- and he was not meant to be part of hers. 

The fact that he was alive made things complicated for him.

Any other rabbit would have been happy to be saved- after all, they were the ones that dreamed of heroes and escape. 

Goro was the one who'd been given his freedom, and yet he deemed this fate more unbearable.

He wondered how long they would let him starve himself, how many bowls would Haru bring and leave still filled to the brim?

He stared down at his hands, scrunching them into small balls and dragging his nails into his palm. 

He couldn't bear the idea of hoping for a new outcome now.

After 3-days of refusing the food, a new person entered the room. 

Goro tried not to pay attention as the newcomer placed their hand on Haru's shoulder and took her place.   
"Something wrong with the food I made?" The man asked while Goro stared down at the new bowl Haru had brought in- the broth was filled with thick juicy carrots. Goro could see his warped reflection peer back up at him, he looked as he felt- weak. 

"I haven't poisoned it." The man joked and suddenly the bunny noticed the man was closer than expected, he peered up into hazel eyes, the man's face inches away from his.

The bowl went flying as Goro kicked himself back- his body trembling, he tried to retreat into his own mind- ignore everything that was happening. 

He could hear the blonde man curse and scurry off to find someone to help.  
-

Haru tried getting him to eat.   
And then another girl tried.  
and then Haru tried again.   
But Goro would not eat.  
-

It hurt.  
It hurt so much. It was so cruel. So cruel that they had dragged him away from his fate and forced him to live these last painful days.  
Goro could barely stay awake now- far too weak.  
On the day Goro thought he would die, a new man stepped in- his face obstructed by the long-nosed mask he wore. He carried a thick leather case with him- and when Goro turned to look, he could see the man was wearing a haunting grin- so Goro smiled back, finally, death had paid him a visit.   
-

Except it wasn't death. 

Goro was screaming as the long-nosed man drew a symbol on his chest and funneled dark magic into his soul. He cried out and tried to escape but every time he moved on his own accord- jolts of pain shook his entire being. 

He reached out to the other man in the room, the one who had sat beside him, the one who watched him with distress and guilt.   
When it was all over- Goro curled into a ball- tears soaking the ground he led upon. 

After the two men conversed for a moment, the long-nosed man grinned as a gold coin was dropped into his outstretched palm, he thanked the younger man and then left after tipping his hat. 

The younger man sighed and then approached Goro, he hesitated and then pulled the bunny to his chest, Goro didn't even protest as broken pieces of bread were pushed into his mouth- he was too weak and scared to deny his new master.  
-

When Haru brought food came again, Goro tried to refuse it- tried his best to fight against this mark. But moments after the symbol turned from red to purple, electric coursed throughout his body and he began screaming.

Haru dropped the bowl, mouth open in horror. 

Desperate to stop the pain, Goro dragged himself over to the food on the floor and began eating- angry tears rolling down his cheeks. 

There were no chains but Goro was certain that this was a prison.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A slave mark- is a magical seal that binds a 'slave' to a 'master'. In the series the main character uses it to make someone fight for him, here it's used to force Goro into not starving himself to death. 
> 
> I know bunnies and rabbits aren't the same, at the moment Goro is still child-sized so he has softer features.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this took a while to update- warning for this chapter please check the new tags. 
> 
> Thank you for reading! The continued support means a lot to me.

There were moments when Goro would find his master sitting beside him. Usually in the dead of night when he was too tired to move. 

Days spent fighting against the commands drained him of his energy and food generally made him tired.

His master would thread his hand through Goro's hair, petting him as the bunny began to nod off. He hated this- this submission that he couldn't fight against. 

He didn't want affection, he wanted to be thrown- tossed like the trash he was.   
He didn't deserve this.  
He didn't want...  
-

A week after the binding- Goro gave up trying to fight the mark.

-  
Whenever he ate now, his master would reward him that night with petting and treats. It was degrading, to say the least, but Goro slowly began to get used to the affection. 

He listened to his master tell him all sorts of stuff. 

Most of the information Goro struggled to retain, but one thing that he did remember was his master's name. 

Akira. 

He didn't offer his name in return and nor did Akira expect that of him.   
-

It was beginning to get harder to remember that his master had forced him into the bond. 

He was getting docile.  
Hopeful of being given a chance.  
He felt like one of the children that prayed not to be picked that week.  
One of those that believed that being dependent meant you were being saved.   
He'd seen the foxes easily trade their toys for pretty ones without a second look.  
It would happen to him.

As his body got stronger, his mind grew weak. 

If this was really real, he'd have grown by now. He'd have broken free of this childlike body.   
But he hadn't because none of this was real- nobody really cared.

He wouldn't break like the others. He had known his fate.

With his choice made, Goro waited for his lunch to come, he waited until Haru left him to it before he reached for his glass and flicked his wrist. 

It made contact with the floor and burst into pieces, splintering into stars, He quickly grabbed one of the larger bits and stashed it just as Haru came running in and moved him away from the hazard. 

Goro ate his food with a coldness settling in his heart. 

-

First, he tested the glass with his finger- to see if there was a command that prevented self-harm. 

When the bead of blood arose from the thin split Goro didn't know whether to laugh or cry.   
He was so sure that he'd feel the hot pain flare throughout his body.  
His master hadn't taken this from him. 

That night he cuddled into Akira and waited. Akira wrapped his arms around him tight- they didn't speak but for some reason- Akira seemed sad.

Goro eventually pretended to nod off and the human dutifully picked the bunny up and tucked him in. His hand brushed Goro's hair from his face and then rested on his cheek.   
He was muttering something, words that Goro didn't understand yet sounded strangely familiar.   
-

When the door closed. Goro sat up straight, he felt nervous and unsure as he drew the glass from his hiding spot. 

He stared at his reflection for a moment and then rose the piece to his neck. 

He held it there- his hands shaking as he pushed it gently into his skin.   
And then he froze.   
He didn't know what he expected but it wasn't this.   
He tried again but again he froze up.

He was... scared. 

He looked down at his bloody hands now gripping the glass tight- he had to do this.   
He wanted to.   
He wanted the pain to stop, for the nightmare to end.

Except-

There were moments flashing before his eyes, his smiling mother, the days he make her laugh, Haru's gentle smile, Akira's warmth.

He... he didn't want to die anymore.

With this realization the glass piece dropped from his hand and Goro felt the tears roll down his cheeks before he could register it happening. 

"Goro..." The bunny lifted his face up surprised. 

Akira hadn't left.   
Akira knew his name

His master wrapped him in an embrace so tight Goro could hardly breathe.   
"This isn't a dream... "

In the distance, the bell tolled and Akira let out a choked laugh.  
He then took Goro's hand- careful of the now drying cuts and bent down- face nuzzling against his locked fingers. 

"Thank you," Akira whispered and when he looked up there was nothing but love in those silver eyes.

-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to leave it here!

**Author's Note:**

> Spear Hero- In this world, there are 4 heroes- Spear, Bow, Sword, and Shield. The Spear hero takes people a lot on their word in the beginning and tends to jump the gun, hence why he can easily be tricked.
> 
> Filolial- Are giant birds that love to pull carts, I always just call them Chocobos because they are just basically Chocobos 
> 
> Demi-Human- So in the show- one of the character's age due to the number of levels she gains. I'm changing this slightly for the bunny demi-humans- so that it's the amount of love that makes them grow- hence why Goro is just a child to begin with and will grow to his correct age as the story goes on.


End file.
